Flute Fingers - Go Figure!

Proper hand position on the flute is important for it allows overall comfort and ease of playing, especiallywhile playing fast notes.

Left Hand: Support the weight of the flute with the base of the left hand index finger. The left wristshould be bent with the palm "pushing" out toward the end of the flute. This will help keep the fingersslightly rounded over the keys which can help the fingers move faster and close open-holed keys. Thepinky should always be above the Ap key and not dropped below.

Right Hand: Create the letter "c" with the right hand (imagine holding an orange in your palm).Rest the flute on the end joint or tip of the thumb and keep the thumb straight. The fingers that rest onthe keys should be slightly rounded and placed in the center of the keys.

Support the flute with three balance points: the chin, the base of the left hand index finger, and the endjoint or tip of the right hand thumb.

Alternate Fingerings

Some notes on the flute can be fingered in more than one way. Flutists use alternate fingerings to correctpitch problems and to play passages that otherwise would be awkward or impossible to play.

One common alternate flute fingering is for the note Bp.The regular fingering for Bp is:

eoo 9 eoo.O~

e 00 9'ooo~et>

Try playing "Hot Cross Buns" using the alternate Bp thumb key. Take note: you can use the alternate Bpthumb key when you play the D as well!

Flute Fingers - Go Figure!

Trills - - - --A trill is produced by alternating the written note and the next scale note above in rapid succession.

3rdG# 4th

B~-C C-D F-G

etr- etr..-~.n11 etr-etr- =rr± etr..- ~0# S ••••••••

~0...••..

3rd •••••••• => ......-1

1 1-T- wB~- -D- 1or E~ T

1 23

E~ E~ -1-E~